Garment-checking system



Oct. 8, 1929. 6;. POSNICK I GARMENT CHECKING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 14, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet lilllIl-IIIIIIII I II. bal nub I l ll ll- I I lllll Ii.. I 0.

ATTORNEY.

0a. 8, 1929. G.:POSNI CIK 1,730,382

GARMENT CHECKING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 14, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 .5; 4 /7 20' fiifigm 37'21 79 75 2 I Li. I, r12? WITNESS: INVENTOR. I

gaayz foam BY ATTORNEY.

Oct. 8, 1929. G. POSNICK GARMENT CHECKING SYSTEM 6 sheetssheet Filed Jan. 14, 1926 I N V EN TOR. Q pea 10 5M A TTORNEY.

Oct. 8; 1929. G. POSNICK 1,730,382

I GARMENT CHECKING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 14, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 AZ. INVENTOR.

J /001 a c4.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Get. 8, 1922;

T E S GEORGE rosNIoK, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK GARMENT-CHECKING svs'trnnt Application filed January 14, 1926'. Serial No. $1,349.-

an endless conveyor which cooperates with an upper and lower trackway or runways along which the garment hanger which supports the article to be checked is moved by the conveyor. Each user is provided with an electric circuit closing key of special construction which, when it is inserted in a switch device adjacent the entrance, a door to the check room, closes a particular circuit to an electromagnet that automatically releases a lever device on which the garment hanger is normally' supported and causes this lever device to drop or tilt downward into an inclined position which permits the hanger to roll down this device onto the lower trackway. This operation closes an electric circuit to an electric motor which causes the endless conveyor, tobe operated and move the garment hanger on the lower trackway to a point which is adjacent to the door opening. The operator now opens the door, which in turn, opens the motor circuit and stops the operation of the conveyor. The user or operator then places the garment on the hanger, and, in the operation'of closing the door the motor circuit is again-closed and the enclless conveyor is again set in operation causc ing the hanger to be moved along the upper trackway until it is replaced on the lever arm on whichgit was previously supported; the lever arm, in the mean time,

7 having been automatically tilted from its lowermost to its uppermost position in order to register or be in line with the upper trackway for receiving the hanger therefrom. This leverintercepts the travel of the coat hanger, and, being in an upwardly inclined position, the garment hanger rolls downward thereon to its original position. In this operation the hanger trips a latch which permits the lever to assume its normal or original position. In order to remove the garment the same operations are carried out.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete apparatus showing four of the garment hang ers adjacent their respective magnets, the endless conveyor, the, door whichis located at one end of the endless conveyor, and trackways.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. lshowing the up per and lower trackways on which the garment hangers travel, the endless conveyor, the four garment hangers, the counterbalance weights for tilting the levers when the hangers are removed and the cooperating mechanisms between the door and the adjacent ends of the tracks. V

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the lever mechanism which supports the. garment hanger, the full lines showing the normal position and the two dotted lines for convey- 7 ing the garment hanger onto the lowermost trackway, and, forreturning it fromthe uppermost trackway to its normalposition on the lever together with the lever locking latch, the two electriccircuit closingpositions, and two positions of the hanger. Q

, Fig. 4 is a plan'view' ofFig. '3 showing the trip magnet, and the locking latch for the' lever. A v

Fig. 5is a detail viewof the electromagnet for releasing the lever arm on which the gar ment hanger is normally supported. I: c

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuits and showing the contacts for opening and closing the circuits to the motorwhich operates the endless conveyor, the slidable door, the contact lever operated thereby, and four of the levers which supports the garment hangers in full and dotted line positions respectively.

F ig. 7 is a detail plan viewof the switch toreceive the special keys shown in Figs. 8t0 10, with one of the constructions of which each individual user is supplied for closing the circuit to one only of the electromagnets 10c which releases a particular tiltable arm which supports that garment hanger. I Fig. 7A is a sectional view on the line 7A- 7A of Fig. 7.

Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are keys showing different lengths of contact arms.

Fig. 11 is a detail plan View of the latch which cooperates with the tiltable lever for retaining it in the upwardly inclined position,

or, to permit it to assume the downwardly inclined posit-ion. I v L p g Fig. 11A is a side elevational view of Fig. 11.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the inner end of the tiltable lever, the rodon which it is pivotally supported, the two rollers of the garment I er. In this view the lever is in its norm'a position with a hanger thereon.

13 is a side elevation of Fig. 12 with t l armature latchfor retaining the lever in this position. a

Fig. 14 is a plan view showing the latch moved to one side for releasing the lever to permit it to assume the downwardly inclined position shown in Fig. 3.

ig. 15 is a side elevational view of Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the garment hanger onits return or downward movement from the ripper trackway and at the moment of the swinging ot'thelateh on the lever into a position to permit retaining the lever in its upward inclined position and for returning the lever to its normal full line position.

i Fig. 17 is a side elevational view of Fig. 16.

Fig 18 is a detail view of a portion of the slidable door, the cooperating lever between the door and the garment hanger for transfaringthe hanger from the lower trackway o'nto'the upper 'trackway.

Fig. 19 is aside elevational view of Fig. 18 sl io'wiirg "the position of the parts when the door is opened and Which operation transfers the garinent hanger from the lower to the upper trackw ay.

a Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 18 but showing the slidable door in its normally 5o 2 showing the elevated endof the lower track.

closed position with the electric circuit to the inoto'r that operates the, endless conveyor siesta.

F i 21 is a side elevational view of Flg. 20

igf22 is a View illustrating the door when ioved into its open position after the garment hanger has left the lower t-rackway and is about to be transferred to the upper trackway. This operation opens the circuit to the motor.

Fig. 23 is=a side elevational view of Fig. 22 at the moment of transferring the hanger, by the operation of opening the door, to the ripper trackway.

Fig. 2% shows the position of the door during its opening movement and just before its return movement and with the hanger transline position 9 (see Figs. 3 and 6') 26 is a view showing a further moves ment of the door, on its return movement and with the lever on the opposite side of the trip mechanism on the door.

Figs. '27, 28, and 29 are detail views of the trip device which is attached to the inside oi" the door for operating the levers for trans terring the garment hanger. V

Fig. 30 is a view showing the garment hanger on the upper trackway and at the moment of being transferred from this trackway to the upwardly inclin'ed tiltable supporting lever as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig 31 shows the hanger after it has left the npper trackway, and g 32 is a detail perspective view of the step plate on the end of the til'table lever.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

1, 2, 3,fand 3 designate the two side and end pieces of the apparatus, or in general, the frame work. 4 designates a rod or fixed pivotal bar for supporting the several garment hangers each of which is designated in 2 by he numeral 5, four 'for example are shown. '6 designates the lower trackway and 7 the upper trackway along which the garment hangers are moved. These two trackways are supported by the metal hangers 8 a hangers is normally supported comprises a" bar 9 which is pivotally supported on the fixed rod &. Secured to each bar is a piece of insulation 10 and secured to this piece of insulation'is metal projecting part 11 for engaging and closing the motor circuit conitacts at 13 when the lever 9 is in the dotted Attached to the hanger bar 9 is a counter balance weight 12. Located immediately above the part 11 are two'contac'ts 14 with which the metal part 11 engages when in the full line position 9. Located over theendll is a latch 14 that carries the contacts 14 that areincluded in series in the elect'romag'net circuits "(see Fig. '6'). This latch is pivotally attached at 15 to the fixed part 2. This latch carries an armature 16 which is placed opposite the pole of the electronia'gnet 17. It is understood that there is an'electromagnet for each lever 9. 1'8 is a fixed stop which is 'attached to the piece 2 and engaged by the part 11 of'the lever 9 for limiting its upward movement. Depending from a'suit'able support-over each lever 9 is a bracket 19 on which support is pivotally at tached at '21 the stop or latch piece 20 for controlling the movement of the lever 9. 20 is a stop on 19 for limiting the movement of the garment hanger. side of the piece 31 is a grooved roller 34 and is a spring for normally moving the part 22 towards the lever 9 in the position shown in Figs. 1, 12, 13, 14, and 15. This spring operates to normally move the depending portion 22 of the latch over the lever 9, for retaining the lever in the dotted line position 9 to permit the garment hanger to pass from the upper trackway 7 downward into its original normal position (.see Fig. 3). 9

Referring now to the garment hanger proper. 25 is a bar which has attached at its lower end the part 26, and attached to this part are the depending rods 27 and a cross bar 28. Attached to the bar 26 is a garment or coat hanger 29. The upper end of the bar 25 is connected to the piece 30 which is formed with the two oifset portions 31 and 32. 33 is a pin which is attached to the side of the offset piece 31. This pin is engaged by the pin 51 on the endless conveyor 39 for elevating the Located on the vertical located on the offset piece 32 is a grooved roller (see Figs. 3 and 30). The roller 35 engages the upper edge of the garment hanger lever 9 and the roller 34 engages the trackways 6 and 7. Attached to the outer end of the lever 9 is an angular shaped stop plate 36, a detail of which is shown in Fig.32. The piece 36 is formed with an'upwardly extending curved portion 37 and a depending curved portion 38 which is located near the upper trackwa-y 7 shown in Fig. 1. These portions are to permit the arm 31 and roller 34 to pass thereunder (see Figs. 30 and 31) when the hangers rolls down the bar 9 in the position 9 (see Fig. 3).

Referring now to Fig. 2 which illustrates in side elevation the two trackways 6 and 7. 39 designates an endless chain conveyor that is supported on the four sprocket wheels 40, 41, 42, and 43. These wheels are rotatably supported in the hangers 44 and 45.

The endless conveyor is operated from a suitable source of motive power as an electric motor 46 shown in Fig. 6 through a driving belt 47. The lower trackway 6 is formed with a curved and upwardly extending portion 48 and on this portion is located or attached a right angled shaped spring 49 with a freely movable upper horizontal end part 50. 51 are a series of pins which are attached to the endless conveyor at suitable distances apart. These pins are for the purpose of engaging the garment hangers to move it along the trackways 6 and 7.

Pivotally attached to the upper part 48 of the trackway 6 is an L shaped lever 52 at the point53. The lower depending arm 54 of this lever is located adjacent the'horizontal part 50 ofthe spring 49, (see Figs. 19, 21, and 23) and the stop arm 55 of the L shaped lever extends over the vertical passageway between the part 48 andthe vertical strand of the chain conveyor 39. Pivotally attached to the L shaped lever' 52 is a link 56, the lower end of which is connected to the lever 57, that:

is pivotally attached at 58 to a fixed support 59. The lower end of the lever 57 is cutaway or reduced in thickness as indicated at 60 This'cutaway end portion is designed to travel in the groove, 61 of the cam member 62 on the door when the door is opened, and, along the outer surface 62" when the door is closed (see Figs. 18 to 26) inclusive. 64 is a spring for normally moving the lever 57 towards the door. Attached to the forward end of the cam part v62 is a curved spring or track like portion 65 which is designed to direct the into its closed position operates to lift the garment hanger from its position of rest on the spring arm 50 upward ontothe upper track 7 V This operation is shown in Fig. 23 wherein the arm 55 disengages the upper surface'3l of the part 31 permitting the garment hanger to be elevated ontothe track 7. Thestop arm 55 prevents the hanger from being carried by the pin 51 on the chain 39 beyond this point when it comes to rest to permit the user to place the garment on the hanger. Secured to the door 63 is an angular. shaped plate 66' which is in the same horizontal line as thelower end of the lever 67, see Figs. 18,,20, 22,

24. This lever isnormally actuated toward the plate 66 by the spring 68. Its upper end operates to close the circuit to the contacts 69,

which as shown, includes the circuit to the motor 46 by means of the wires 70, 71, the battery 72, and the two contact points 13. i It will therefore be seen that when the door 63 is opened or moved in the direction of the arrow 74 that the motor circuit is broken at the contacts 69, which stops the movement of the chain 39 permitting theuser to insert his garment through the door opening 75. It being understood that the garment hanger is now located on the inner end 7 of the upper The next stop is to track 7 (see Fig. 19);

move the garment hanger along the: upper I trackway 7 and 'onto its particular supportting lever 9. This is accomplished by the operator closing the door 63 which closes the electric circuit to the motor 46, whereby the chain conveyor 39 is again-set in motion.

One of the pins 51 on the chain now engages the upwardly extending part 31 which moves the garment hanger and the roller34 along the trackway 7 until the roller 35'strikes or engages the 'upwardly extending part 36 on the outer end of the lever 9. This causes the rolllever. 9 and as this lever is now in theupwardly inclined position 9 as shown in Fig. 3 due to the weight 12, it permits the hanger to roll downward and tilt the lever into the 8 er 35 to be brought into alignment with the full line position shown in Fig. 3 at 9. This Cfl shown in Fig. 7.

operation breaks the electric circuit at'the contact points 13 thus openingthe circuit to the motor 46, (see Fig. 6) whereby the operation or travel of the conveyor 39 is brought toa standstill.

In the operation of rolling downward on the lever 9 the forwardly extending part 31 (see Fig. 13) of the garment carrier engages the arm 23 of the pivoted latch and rotates the same into the position shown in Fig. 13 whereby the depending part 22 is moved away from the upper surface of the lever 9 and to one side of the same, shown in Fig. 15. That is to say the depending part 22 is moved from the upper surface of the inner end portion of the lever 9 shown in 17 to that shown in Fig. 15' whereby the lever 9 automatically assumes the full line position shown at 9 and with the inner metal end 11 directly under the latch 14. which latch, as previously stated, is withdrawn when the electromagnet 1'? is energized by the insertion of a he "(6 shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. The electrical circuit through the several electromagnets 1? is now complete'by the metal part 11 engaging the contacts '14:. This key itshould be noticed is of special constructiom the contact part 7? being of different lengths in the different views, is designed to engage one of the terminals 78 shown in Fig. 7A, whereby a particular key will close the circuit to one of the electromagnets 17 and release one of the hanger levers 9. i

ll-Iaving thus described the various parts and elements of the device, the operation in brief is as follows: Assume that a person wishes to place his garment on one of the hangers 5. He inserts one of the keys shown in Figs. 7A to 10 inclusive in the switch 78 This closes the circuit to one of the electroniagnets 17, through the wire 76', one of the contacts 14%, batter 12 and one or the electromagnets 17. The

:,energization of one of these magnets attracts the arinaturelti of the switch 14. This releases the'garment lever arm 9 and permits it to assume the dotted line position 9 as shown in Fig. 6 and the roller to {travel down "this lever and onto the low-er trackway 6. Alter the hanger member is located-011 the track 6 as shown in Fig. 3, the counter balance weight 12 tilts the lever 9 upward into the. dotted. line position 9 (see Fig. i). This operation closes the motorcircuit at the contact points 13 and operates the conveyor 39 causin a pin '51 on thecharn 39 to engage the part 31 of the garment hanger and inovelt along the lower track 6. The pin 51 engages the pin 33 and lifts the hanger until snaps by and rests on the part of the spring and below the stop arm of the bell crank lever 52; The operator now opens the door 68.

:lThisoperation permits the part 66 on the door tomove the lever 67 and break the motor circuit at the contacts 691 This brings the carrier 39 to rest. He now passes the article through the door opening 76' and places it on the hanger 5. This position is shown in Fig. 2. Next he closes the'd'oor 63 and in this operation the lower end of the lever 57 operates, through the action of thecam 62 on the door to move the dependingarm 54- and remove the garment carrier from the spring 50 onto the upper track 7 (see Fig 19). In closing the door the motor circuit is again closed at the contacts 69 causing a pin 51' on theendless' carrier 39 to engage the garment carrier 5 and move it along the upper track 7 until the roller 35' engages or is intercepted by the up wardly projecting part' 36 on the lever'9'when the hanger is transferred onto the lever-9 w 'ich, previously sta'ted,is in the upwardly inclined position 9 It now rolls downward on this lever arm and into the position. shown in 8. This operation causes the movement of the latch 20 which nio es "the'depending arm 22 into a lateral pa...

ward 1 ito the full line position 9 thus closing the circuit the contact again at the poin'ts The mallic end 11 is now located'under lever raining latch 14. i

n order to obtain possession of the articl s on the hanger the same operations are c repeated, that is to say, the user; inserts his hey iithe switch causing the latch to" release the lever 9 and the hanger to move alongthe lever 9 onto the lower trackw'ay 6, then to he moved by the carrier 39" and onto the arm 50 of the sliiriiigit9" intothe position shown in dotted'lines in Fig. 2.'

Upon the opening of the door 68, the g 'inent be removed.

in the checking room and remove the same therefrom when required. vThe apparatus also precludes an unauthorized person from obtaining possession of such articles.

Whatl claim is: r p 1. In a checking apparatus, the combina-' tion with. an endless conveyor, an upper and 'a lower trackway, a series of garment'support ing han ers, means for supporting such hang- A "i to permit the lever 9'to'swing downers, means for releasing the said supporting means for permitting the hangers to" pass onto the lower trackw'ay, the endless chain operating for moving the series oi -hangers along the said trackway, a-door, means operated when the door is open'ed to'cause the endless conveyor'to' cease operating andto again be set in operation when the door is closed,'the endless conveyor operating for returning the hangers to their original po sitions. v

2. In combination, in a garment checking apparatus, a garment'hanger, a tiltable lever for normally supporting the hanger,

electrodnechanical means for releasing the lever to permit it to assume a downwardly inclined position, a track to receive the hanger from the said lever, a'second track, means for transferring the hanger from the first to the second track, and means for transferring the hanger-from the second track to its original position on the tiltable lever.

3. In combination, a tiltable lever, a garment hanger, means for supporting the hanger on the said lever, means for retaining the lever in a position to prevent the hanger from moving along the same, electromechanical means for releasing the said lever, a counter weight for tilting the lever into an upwardly inclined position, means for transterring the hanger back again onto the said lever, and means operated by the hanger for resetting the tiltable lever.

4. In combination, a tiltable lever, roller for movably supporting garment hangers thereon, upper and lower trackway s, an endless conveyor located adjacent the trackways, electromechanical means for releasingthe lever to permit the hanger thereon to pass onto the lower trackway, a counter balance weight on the lever for tilting the same into a position whereby its upper end portion is in registration with the'plane of the upper trackway and the lower end of the lever operates to close an electric circuit in which an electric motor is included, for operating the endless conveyor, the upper and lower strandsof the conveyor being located adjacent the upper and lower trackways whereby when the conveyor is set in motion by the said operation of the lever, the hanger is moved along one of the trackways by the conveyor and into a position that is opposite a door opening, said door having a part thereon which when the door is operated opens the circuit to the motor, means also operated by the door for transferring the hanger from its position of rest opposite the door to the upper trackway, whereby, on the closure of the door the motor circuit is again closed, and the endless conveyor operates to move the hanger along the upper trackway, and means to intercept the movement of the hanger for transferring it again onto the pivoted lever, and means on the lever actuated by the return movement of the hanger to reset the lever in its normal or original position.

5. A garment checking apparatus comprising in combination, a pivotally mounted hanger supporting lever, a'counter balance weight attached tothe lever, means for movably supporting the hanger on the lever, an

electromagnet, anarmaturetherefor which is formed with a shoulder portion for retaining the lever in its normal or hanger sup-v portlng position, an upper and lower trackway, an electric circuit for closing the circuit to the electromagnet for operating the armature and releasing the lever to permit the counter weight to tilt the lever andthe hanger thereon to be transferred to the lower trackway, the counterbalance weight oper ating to tilt the lever into an oppositely inclined position for moving one end of it to register with the upper trackway and its op.-

posite end to close an electric motor circuit,

means operated by the motor for moving the hanger along the lower trackway, one end of this trackway beingcurved upward to the plane of the upper trackway, a spring on the curved portion to receive the hanger for retaining it in a stationary position, a slidable door, a link mechanismbetween the door and the curved portion of the track. wherebyw ien the door is operated the hanger is transferred onto the upper trackway and the circuit to the motor is closed for operating the movable means which transfers the hanger along the upper trackway, and means on the lever for intercepting the hanger for locating it again thereon, and means operated by the hanger on the lever for resetting the lever in its original position. I

6. In a garment checking apparatus, the combination, an endless conveyor member,

means for operatingthe same, two trackways v 7 In combinatioma tiltable lever for the purpose described, a two armed latch pivotally attached to the same, a counter weight attachedto the lever for retaining the lever in an upwardly inclined position when the latch is in one position and for permittlng the lever to assume another position when the latch is in another position, a garment hang er movably supported on the lever and so constructed as to move thelatch' from one position to another.

8. A tiltable lever for the purpose described, acounter weight for the same, a movable garment hanger mounted thereom one end of the lever having an upwardly lnclined plate member for cooperating with a trackway for intercepting a garment hanger when moved along the trackway, a two armed latch pivot-ally attached to the lever, one arm being in the path of the hanger when moved along the same, the other arm being designed. toretain the lever in an upwardly inclined position and to permit the lever to tilt and be moved by thehanger into another position and acounter weight attached to the lever for tilting the same when the hanger is transferred therefrom to another trackway, as dein which is formed an opening, a-slidablc door for the opening, a trackway, link mechanism between the trackway and'the door, an endless conveyor arranged adjacent the trackway for moving a garment hanger along the trackway, means on the trackway for temporarily supporting the garment hanger, the construction and arrangement being such that when the door is operated, the hanger is automatically transferred from the trackway onto a second track'wa'y, said second trackway being designed to convey the garment hanger to a predetermined position relative thereto and cooperating means for operating the conveyor when the door is closed. 11 In combination a series'of electromag nets, a series of tiltable levers each designed to receive a garment hanger, electric circuit closing switch, electric circuits between the switch, the electromagnets and the levers, contact devices designed to be opened and closed by the levers, means for retaining the levers in a'normally closed circuit and in series with each other, a switch key element designed to close the circuit to a particular magnet,means cooperatlng with said magnet for releasing the lever to permit it to tilt into a downwardly inclined position on which a garment hanger is placed, counter balance means for tilting the lever into an oppositely inclined position after the hanger is removed from the lever, a motor circuit, contacts in the motor circuit arranged in parallel with the terminals of the circuit, whereby when the lever is tilted into the second position, the motor circuit is closed, an endless conveyor operated by the motor when the motor circuit is'closed, and means comprising a slidable door, a lever actuated thereby for opening the motor circuit when the door is moved into the open position and for closing the same when moved into a closed position.

12. In a garment checking system, the combination, a trackway which is formed with an upwardly projecting part, an angular, shaped spring attached to the said part for temporarily supporting avmember which is designed to be moved along the trackway, an elbow lever pivotally attached to the said part, one arm of the lever extending below the upper part of the spring, the other arm being located over the spring, a door, a cam member on the door, links between the cam and the elbow lever, a second trackway adjacent the said part whereby when the d'oor'is operated, the member on the spring may be moved therefrom onto a second trackwa-y, as described. 7

13. In a garmentchecking system, the combination, an upper and lower trackway, a pivotally mounted lever, an electromagnet, an armature therefor for retaining the lever in one position, a locking latch adjacent the lever for retaining the lever in an inclined p0 sition, a part movable on the said lever for operating the latch to permit the lever to assume a different or normal position, anda counter weight attached to the leverfor tilting the lever when the latch' is operated by the movable part on the lever.

14. In combination, in a garment checking system, an endless conveyor, pins attached thereto, an upper and lower trackway, a hanger designed for movement on thetr'a'ckways, the lower traokway having an upwardly extending curved end part which termi'-' nates adjacent an end of the upper trackwa'y, a pin on the hanger which is engaged by a pin on the-conveyor for elevating the hanger 

